Under the agreement, Nassif’s no contest plea on the three drug charges would be dismissed if he completed probation successfully, Hiller said. There was no specific probation period set out in the sentencing agreement; felony pleas can carry a maximum of five-year probation terms.

“There will be a period of probation and, if he completes that, the charges will be dimissed,” Hiller said.

It’s a surprising development in a case that was widely expected to go to trial. Nassif was accused of sexually assaulting a woman who he knew on July 31 at his apartment in the 200 block of South Fourth Avenue.

Nader NassifFile photo

The case dragged on in the preliminary exam stage for months, eventually culminating in 14th District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson’s decision to send the case to trial. Simpson said he found probable cause a crime was committed and that Nassif committed it, but called evidence against the attorney “weak.”

More motion hearings followed, but earlier this month, a trial date was set for Sept. 8.

Records show the plea hearing was hastily scheduled — on Thursday, the hearing was put on Friday’s docket and Nassif appeared at 10 a.m. Friday.

Nassif was a member of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority before the charges were filed. After his arraignment, he resigned his position.

According to the Michigan Bar Association’s website, Nassif is listed as active and in good standing. The website shows his law firm, The Nassif Law Firm PLLC, is now based out of Royal Oak.

Hiller said the Attorney Discipline Board will make the ultimate decision on whether Nassif will get to keep his law license. The Attorney Discipline Board’s website had no results for Nassif on Tuesday afternoon.

Nassif and the woman knew each other for months before the alleged incident. She was in Ann Arbor to visit on July 29 and the two spent much of the next two days smoking marijuana while gathering inspiration for an art project she was going to do in his apartment.

The woman testified at the preliminary exam she lost consciousness on July 31 in Nassif’s apartment while the duo was watching TV. The next thing she remembered was waking up to Nassif having sex with her against her will, according to her testimony.

Nassif told police the woman appeared alert and was engaged during the sexual activity. He said she fell when he was out of the room and he picked her up and brought her to his bed to rest. When she came to, she began kissing him and they had consensual sex twice, according to Nassif’s statement to police.

The case was complicated by the woman’s medical history, text messages between the woman and Nassif, a previous sexual assault allegation the woman made in Chicago and other evidence as well.

Joe Simon, Nassif’s attorney, declined to comment on the developments at Friday’s hearing.

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for The Ann Arbor News. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@mlive.com or you can follow him on Twitter. Find all Washtenaw County crime stories here.